The former leader of the Nationals, who represented New England and led the party during two separate terms while the Coalition was in power, delivered a brief address in parliament today, announcing his departure from the party.

“After spending 30 years with the National Party, I am stepping down,” Joyce declared.

“This decision weighs heavily on me. I sincerely apologize for any pain this may cause,” he added.

Though there has been speculation about Joyce possibly joining One Nation, he clarified that he hasn’t decided whether to align with Pauline Hanson’s party.

“I don’t know yet, I haven’t made that decision,” he mentioned to reporters during a concise press conference following his parliamentary address.

Joyce said that while it was a difficult decision to leave the Nationals, he no longer had a functioning relationship with the leadership of the party.

“In any relationship, when it breaks down, you’ve just got to get to a point where you either sort of live in bitter recrimination and continue on with it, or you get out of it,” he said.

“And I think that’s what I’m doing today, is getting out of it.”

He added the decision hadn’t been made quickly and revealed that former opposition leader Peter Dutton had told him to quit the junior Coalition party twice in recent years.

In a statement, Nationals leader David Littleproud said Joyce’s defection was a disappointment.

“It is disappointing for the people of New England and disappointing for the loyal National Party members who tirelessly volunteered over the past two decades to support his political ambitions,” he said.

“The Nationals supported Barnaby through the tough times, including during his darkest moments.

“The original conversation I had with Barnaby was to encourage him to stay in our party room and that I believed he could continue to make a contribution to our party room.”

Joyce entered parliament as a senator for Queensland in 2005, before switching to the lower house at the 2013 election, when he comfortably won New England following the resignation of independent Tony Windsor.

Five weeks ago, he announced that he wouldn’t contest his seat in two and a half years, citing his “irreparably broken” relationship with the National Party leadership.

While Joyce insisted today that he hasn’t made a decision about his future, other than that he will serve out the remainder of his current term, he admitted he is strongly considering a tilt at a Senate seat with the minor party at the next election in 2028.

“I think it’s the appeal also of the Senate, of just reviewing and amending legislation… I’ve done the Senate before,” he said.

However, senior Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie warned Joyce against a switch to the minor party.

“He’s actually done serious things and his legacy is significant but that will be trashed if he goes to One Nation and I think that’s the big difference and that’s the question he’s going to have to ask himself,” she said.

“Does he want to be part of a party of government to get things done… or join a protest party where you won’t be able to do that.”